How to Find The Right Name For Your Start-Up

What’s in a name? According to Shakespeare, “a rose by any other name would smell as sweet”, but does that apply to companies?Not really. Successful companies tend to have memorable, simple andeffective names, and for good reasons. Names are the first thing peopleencounter when they are introduced to a company. They are interpreted as a symbol of the company’s underlying quality. They are also anessential tool to create a lasting impression.

All of this makes it important to find a name that serves yourcompany well. Here are some tips on how to come up with a corporateidentity that lasts.

Come Up With A Name That Communicates Who You Are

Your name has to reflect what drives your business. For customers,names are important. When they purchase goods or services, they want toknow that the company they are buying from is serious about what theydo. That doesn’t mean picking a bland, boring name. But it does meanforegrounding what makes you special. So think about coming up with aname that reflects your core values, not just a flashy, catchy name that is easy to remember.

Stay Memorable With The Right Company Name

Having said that, it’s important to come up with a memorable name.Sometimes it seems that having a short, snappy name is the only reasonstart-ups exist. Everywhere you look, there are companies with nameslike “fuzzle”, “bangle” or “zoopla”. Short, punchy names work well, asdoes an element of strangeness. Anything that can burrow deep into theminds of site visitors and passers-by on the street will work well, sothink about adding a quirky touch to your company name.

Take A Direct Approach for Straight-Forward Communication

For others, a more direct, straight-down-the-line approach could work wonders. If you work in a business like plumbing, home redesign,landscape gardening or pool cleaning, customers probably won’t beimpressed by a quirky name. Instead, they might respond better tosomething concrete, simple and direct. Names like “Outstanding Gardens”may seem too basic, but they do get the message across. With a creativelogo, the plainness of the name can actually create an impressiveeffect.

Consider the Long-Term to Create a Brand That Lasts

Think about the medium to long-term as well. You want your company to be around for 5, 10, even 20 years, so coming up with a name thatreflects where you want to be in the future is a fundamental key tosuccess for your business. Some ways of wording names suit large,successful companies that reach out to richer clients. Others try toretain a homely feel (like Walmart) by stressing a family identity.Either way, pick a name that will sound sensible and catchy when success is in your grasp.

Make Your Company Name As User-Friendly as Possible

Think about how your name will be used by people as well. This issomething that companies often forget about, but it’s fundamental. Goodcompany names should roll off the tongue. They should be easy to say,and easy to spell. If people can’t spell your business properly, it canhave a huge negative impact on your search ranking. If they can’t sayit, they will be less likely to remember it.

Make your name as user-friendly as possible. Little things like thatcan have big dividends. In a world where voice search is becoming morecrucial, making your name easy to pronounce can also be a big plus forsearch engine optimization.

Go For a Localized Approach and Create Roots in Your Community

Another strategy is to go hyper-local and come up with a name thatconnects your company to the local history. If your town witnessed acrucial battle or it was the site of a world-changing invention, youcould incorporate that heritage into your name. By anchoring youridentity in the long-term history of a community, you can instantly gain credibility and the impression of having deep roots. That can go a long way towards creating trust among local customers, even if you are, inreality, nothing but a start-up.

Names Matter, So Don’t Rush Your Selection

Spend a little time brainstorming potential names. In fact, spend asmuch time as it takes to come up with something that ticks all theboxes. It should be short, simple, easy to remember and in some wayreflect your core values. It might be a little quirky, it might bestraight-forward, and it could be linked to the local community.

Time spent coming up with the right identity will be rewarded, andthe last thing you need is an expensive rebrand a few years down theline. It might be simple, but there really is something in a name, andit takes some creativity to find the right one.